Madame De Treymes eBook

Durham, during this appeal, had had time to steady
his thoughts; and the result of his deliberation was
that he said, with a return to his former directness:
“Well, then, what I wish to know is, what position
your family would take if Madame de Malrive should
sue for a divorce.” He added, without giving
her time to reply: “I naturally wish to
be clear on this point before urging my cause with
your sister-in-law.”

Madame de Treymes seemed in no haste to answer; but
after a pause of reflection she said, not unkindly:
“My poor Fanny might have asked me that herself.”

“I beg you to believe that I am not acting as
her spokesman,” Durham hastily interposed.
“I merely wish to clear up the situation before
speaking to her in my own behalf.”

“You are the most delicate of suitors!
But I understand your feeling. Fanny also is
extremely delicate: it was a great surprise to
us at first. Still, in this case—­”
Madame de Treymes paused—­“since she
has no religious scruples, and she had no difficulty
in obtaining a separation, why should she fear any
in demanding a divorce?”

“I don’t know that she does: but
the mere fact of possible opposition might be enough
to alarm the delicacy you have observed in her.”

“Ah—­yes: on her boy’s
account.”

“Partly, doubtless, on her boy’s account.”

“So that, if my brother objects to a divorce,
all he has to do is to announce his objection?
But, my dear sir, you are giving your case into my
hands!” She flashed an amused smile on him.

“Since you say you are Madame de Malrive’s
friend, could there be a better place for it?”

As she turned her eyes on him he seemed to see, under
the flitting lightness of her glance, the sudden concentrated
expression of the ancestral will. “I am
Fanny’s friend, certainly. But with us family
considerations are paramount. And our religion
forbids divorce.”

“So that, inevitably, your brother will oppose
it?”

She rose from her seat, and stood fretting with her
slender boot-tip the minute red pebbles of the path.

“Certainly I wish to see you again; you interest
me,” she said smiling. “But it is
so difficult to arrange. If I were to ask you
to come here again, my mother and uncle would be surprised.
And at Fanny’s—­”

“Oh, not there!” he exclaimed.

“Where then? Is there any other house where
we are likely to meet?”

Durham hesitated; but he was goaded by the flight
of the precious minutes. “Not unless you’ll
come and dine with me,” he said boldly.